Things of the Past
by Norrington'sLady
Summary: Soon after the Swanns' crossing from England, Joshamee Gibbs leaves the navy.... to join the crew of a young pirate lass. GibbsOC. I know it's odd, but just give it a read lol. Please review!


**A/N**- Hello, everyone. First of all, I'd like to say that this won't interfere with my other story, Never Again. I just began thinking about how there were no Gibbs/OC stories here that I knew of, and I thought it might be fun to write one. The updates might be a little sporadic because I am still working on Never Again, and I'm not _positive _about exactly where I want to go with this one. I'll figure it out soon though : ).

**Summary**- We know that Joshamee Gibbs was at one point a member of the British Navy. Why is he still not? Was he discharged? No, the truth is he left the navy of his own free will. Why? Well before he came to be with Jack and The Black Pearl, he met a young pirate woman. A young pirate woman who loved him despite his odd superstitions, despite the fact that he wasn't a good looking or charming man. She forever changed his life.

**Pairings**- Gibbs/OC. Gasp!

**Disclaimer**- Anything that you recognize, I don't own. Unfortunately.

**Chapter One**

_The HMS Interceptor. During CotBP. Elizabeth's POV. _

He stood at the ship's wheel with a compass, trying to find their heading. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder about him. Since her rescue from Barbossa and his crew, she had had many things on her mind, all of which had nothing to do with Joshamee Gibbs, but now that things had slowed down a little bit, she wondered. The last time she remembered seeing him was eight years ago on the crossing from England to Port Royal with her father. Then he had… disappeared, run off for some reason. He hadn't been heard of since.

"Ah, Miss Swann," he said in his gravelly, thick accented voice as she came up to him, "How may I be of service?"

"I recall you being on the vessel that carried my father and I to Port Royal eight years ago, Mr. Gibbs," Elizabeth replied, looking at him shrewdly, "Am I right in that recollection?" She knew she was, but she waited for his answer anyway.

"Aye," he said with an uncomfortable half shrug, "But I'm not sure what yer gettin' at, Miss."

Elizabeth couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "What happened? Why are you not still?"

Gibbs let out a sigh and half way turned away from her. At first she thought that he might not answer her, and she prepared to push the topic further. But then, he began. "'Tis a long story, Miss Swann." He paused, and she opened her mouth to persuade him to continue, but her words were stilled when she saw the small smile light on his face. "One that I remember as well as me own name." He shook his head, appearing to return from a flashback. He squinted at her. "I've seen the way you look at young Mr. Turner and the way he looks at you. The way he speaks of you. You two are…?"

She blushed and came close to telling him that he was being far too bold, but then she recalled that she was the one who had come along demanding to know about his past. She didn't think she wanted to test her voice though when talking of Will, so she simply looked at him, her eyes conveying everything.

He nodded. "As I thought." He was silent for a few seconds more, once again apparently lost in his past. Then he half grinned down at her. "As hard as it may be to believe, I felt that way about a young lass once myself. And she felt the same way for me." Of their own accord, Elizabeth's eyebrows climbed to the top of her forehead. Gibbs chuckled in that odd way of his. "I know what yer thinking. 'What young lass in her right mind would fall in love with the likes of him?'"

Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. "No. No! Of course not. You're… a… fine man, Mr. Gibbs." But she knew she had blundered that terribly. She never had been a good liar, and that was exactly what she had been thinking.

"Well, she did," he continued, looking away from her out across the deep blue sea, "And a pretty lass she was. I never could figure out what made her want me out of all the men she could have picked. But pick me she did."

Now, Elizabeth was drawn into his story. It was a pleasant diversion from all the trauma she had been through on _The Black Pearl _and her troubles with love. Many questions were running through her mind. What was the young woman's name? What was she like? Where was she now? How did they meet?

She didn't have to wait long for her answers.

"It all started eight years ago, not long after we left you and yer father at Port Royal. We were sailing around the Americas and had stopped to stock up on supplies in Charlestown, South Carolina…."

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_Charlestown, South Carolina. Eight years previous. Gibbs' POV._

Joshamee Gibbs took another long swig of his rum. He grimaced as it burned its way down his throat, then sighed in satisfaction. He did so love his rum. Pity he had to be back on _The Interceptor _by nightfall. He wanted a rowdy night of drinking, brawls, and woman like he had had back in his youth. But as bosun of the ship, he knew he had better be back on time.

He studied the other occupants of the tavern as he continued to down his rum. Most of them were dirty and grimy looking, vagabonds and common criminals. He had picked one of the lowliest taverns in the town to go to for two reasons. One: he wouldn't run into any of his navy mates here, probably. And two: the people were always more interesting in places like these.

The latter was proven as a grungy looking man with long stringy black hair stood up from his seat where he was playing cards with another man and flipped the table over in a fit of rage. The table landed on the still dirtier man with greasy locks of blonde hair who had been sitting across from the man.

"You cheated!" Black Hair accused in a roaring voice.

"What…? No!" Blond Hair protested with a slur. He was clearly the drunker of the two. "I would never cheat you!"

"Cheat me you did!" the other yelled, "And you'll pay!"

"Pay?! What are you gonna do?"

Black Hair began reaching into his dirty coat, and Joshamee wondered if there would be killing, but his thoughts were interrupted as the tavern doors banged open.

"Silas! Ben! What the bloody 'ell is this?!" exclaimed a light female voice, clearly Irish, "I can 'ear you bloody sods all the way in the bloody street!"

A petite woman with long fiery red hair entered the tavern. Unlike most of the other people he had seen, she was not dirty. The surprising most surprising thing though was that she was dressed as a man. Though, clearly she was not trying to hide her sex. She wore dark brown trousers that fit closely to her shapely thighs and hips. Her cream colored blouse was loose and cinched at her small waist with a wide brown leather belt. Resting atop her head was a worn tricorn hat.

The black haired man immediately turned away from the man leaning back in the floor. "Captain, we were playing at cards an' Ben 'ere, he bloody…!"

"Silas, if you dare whine to me about 'im cheating you, you'll know the devil before I'm done with you," the young woman threatened with a fierce glare, "Now, you two pick up that table and stop bloody whining." After a moment's hesitation, the two men began to obey.

_Captain…. _Joshamee thought. A woman ship captain. Now if that wasn't odd…. And unlucky! Lord, if there was one thing that brought bad luck, it was a woman aboard a ship. And this one was a captain. He made a sign to ward off evil, as if even being in the same room as such a woman would bring him misfortune.

Then the woman came and sat down at the bar, with only one empty seat between them. Joshamee shifted uncomfortably. "Rum," the woman said to the serving maid, "I sure as 'ell need it." The maid brought back the mug of rum, and he watched as the young woman threw back her head and took a long gulp. She too grimaced and then let out a satisfied sigh as it burned down. Even with his superstitions, he couldn't help but not a bit in acknowledgement.

"What you never seen a woman who can hold 'er liquor before?" she asked him.

"There's not many who can," he replied.

She scoffed. "Me da taught me to drink with the best of 'em. I bet I could bloody well out drink you."

Joshamee raised his eyebrows, tempted to rise to her challenge. Who was he to refuse a little friendly competition? Then he remembered. She _was _a woman…. It might not be the best idea. He racked his brain for anything that said that it was bad luck to drink with a woman…. Well, not that he knew of….

"What's yer name, eh?" she asked him as he contemplated her offer.

"Joshamee Gibbs," he replied.

"Well, 'eres to you, Joshamee Gibbs," she replied. She once again threw her head back and took a swig of rum, this one longer. She slammed the mug back down on the bar when she finished. "The name's Abigail O'Riley. Now, what of my challenge, hmm?"

**A/N**- Well, there's my first chapter! What do you think, eh? Review and let me know! Constructive criticism is always welcome, but I would appreciate it if you would please refrain from flames. Thanks: )


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